This unit explains why fitness matters: being fit helps us to be healthy and strong. It names four ways to be fit. Endurance lets us play longer without getting tired. Building strength through regular exercise builds our muscles and bones. Becoming flexible happens when we stretch and move in guided ways. Learning balance comes from practising being steady while playing and exercising.
Motor fitness is the ability of our body's muscles and nerves to work together effectively and efficiently. It involves skills like coordination, balance, agility and reaction time. Good motor fitness helps us perform daily tasks and activities easily and with control.
Warming up prepares the body for activity by raising the body temperature and heart rate. This improves physical efficiency and performance. Warming up, stretching muscles and moving joints before the activity also minimises the risk of injury.
Stretching is recommended before and after any sport. It prepares the body for activity by letting the joints move through their full range of motion. Pre-stretching reduces the risk of injury, and post-stretching helps in recovery.
To stretch well, keep your body relaxed and take slow and deep breaths. Flexibility improves when the mind and muscles are relaxed. Everyone's ability to move is different, because it depends on physical characteristics, fitness level and age. So always stretch within your limitations and do not try to compete.
| Stretch | How to do it | Variation |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead Arm Stretch | Raise both arms, lock the fingers and push up with palms facing the sky. | Lean forward and backward with arms outstretched. |
| Rear Shoulder Stretch | Feet together; join the arms behind the back, lock the fingers and push the arms back. | Lean forward while pushing the hands back, for more intensity. |
| Overhead Triceps Stretch | Bend one arm behind the neck; hold the elbow with the other hand and pull sidewards. | Bend the upper body in the direction of the pull. |
| Chest Stretch | Raise the arms like an open hug, stretch and swing them back. | Bend the elbows to about 90 degrees. |
| Hip Circles | Hands on the waist; rotate the hips in large circles both ways, legs straight. | Hands at the sides; bend sideways, sliding the hand towards the knee. |
| Torso Twist | Feet shoulder width apart, arms parallel to the ground; turn the upper body, lower body still. | Arms above the head. |
| Squat | Fingers crossed behind the head; lower as if sitting on an invisible chair, head and back straight. | Change the arm position to change difficulty. |
| Quadriceps Stretch | Balance on one leg; hold the other ankle behind and pull towards the hip. | Lean the body forward. |
| Floor Touch | Arms up beside the ears; lean forward and touch the floor with palms, knees straight. | Move the palms forward and backward on the floor. |
| Calf Stretch | Hands on a wall at arm's length; front knee slightly bent, back heel on the floor. | Move the back leg further back. |
| Crossed-leg Toe Touch | Cross one straight leg slightly ahead; touch its toe with both arms. | Stand on the heels. |
| Crouch-leg Stretch | Sit on knees and feet; stretch one leg straight with the toe up, other foot on its toes. | Hands on the floor for balance. |
| Groin Stretch | Sit with soles together; hold the feet and press the elbows on the inner thighs, back straight. | Try it lying in supine position. |
| Hip Stretch | Sit with legs straight; bend one leg and cross it over the inner thigh of the other. | Try it lying down with one or both legs. |
| Hamstring Stretch | Lie on the back; hold below the knee and pull the bent leg to the chest. | Sit with legs straight and reach the toes, knees straight. |
| Abdomen Stretch | Lie on the stomach, hands by the ears; straighten the arms until shoulders line up with the earlobes. | Lift both legs together. |
Cooling down brings the body to rest systematically by lowering the body temperature and heart rate in a controlled manner. It is also a chance to reflect on your performance, calm down and relax.
After the activity, gently stretch your body for 5 to 10 minutes, using exercises like those above and relaxing the muscles from head to toe. Include deep breathing exercises for relaxation.
| Warm-up | Cool-down | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Before the activity | After the activity |
| Body temperature and heart rate | Raised | Lowered in a controlled manner |
| Time | About 5 to 10 minutes | 5 to 10 minutes of gentle stretching |
| Main benefit | Better performance, less risk of injury | Body returns to rest; time to reflect and relax |
The unit has nine games (MF 1 to MF 9). Each has its own warm-up and cool-down from the stretches above, and ends with Circle Time.
| Game | How it is played | Develops | Circle Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| MF 1 Obstacle Race | Run zig-zag across cones, hop inside hula hoops, run back and single clap the next teammate. | Strength, agility, endurance | Identify a physical injury |
| MF 2 Balancing Act | Walk straight with a soft small object on the head without dropping it. | Stability, control, coordination, concentration | Balancing |
| MF 3 Shivam Says | Follow only commands that begin 'Shivam says' and hold the position. | Listening skills, quick reactions | Feel the muscle stretch |
| MF 4 Collaborate and Conquer | Captain arranges cones alone; then the whole team does it after a 1 to 2 minute strategy talk. | Teamwork, strategy, helping each other | Helping others |
| MF 5 Grab the Ball | When your number is called, grab the ball from the small circle and escape the large circle untouched. | Agility, attentiveness, movement time | Appreciating others |
| MF 6 Push-up Position and Pass the Ball | Hold push-up position about five metres from your partner and roll the ball back and forth. | Physical strength, mental toughness | Mental toughness |
| MF 7 Tic-Tac-Toe Dribble Relay | Dribble to the rings and place the ball; three in a row wins. | Team planning, dribbling | Team spirit |
| MF 8 Crocodile Race | One partner in plank, the other holds the ankles; move together and switch roles. | Strength, coordination | Coordination |
| MF 9 Head, Shoulder, Knee and Ball | Touch the body part called; grab the ball only on 'grab'. | Attentiveness, following instructions | Attentiveness |
After the Obstacle Race, students learn to notice distress signals and report a physical injury to the teacher. Signals include discomfort in movement, bruises and rashes, blood, intense pain and facial expressions.
Circle Times in this unit build safety awareness and good sporting habits. We learn to report injuries, to notice which body movements helped us balance, and to feel the muscle stretch while holding a position. We learn to help others and appreciate opponents by naming one good quality of an opposing player. We think about mental toughness: what kept us going when we felt like quitting. We share how team spirit and collective thinking helped block the opponent, how we kept coordination with a partner, and how we stayed attentive to each call.